Indeed, a big distance! I can not say that I can match that! About 700m short: I did 7290m this morning in 30mins.Originally Posted by Shropshire Lad
Menno
I've backed off the erg due to tummy probs but got medals at EIRC last 2 years for 500m in my age group. This year wenf to see how I would have done if I was competing. ..not a snif as big guys doing 1.23/24 . way faster than my 1.28. My 2k pb is 6.47. Hate the 2k and never gonna try it again. Pure death!
No, just a gym rower - from what I know, proper rowing is an appliance of lots of skill to make a boat go fast. I think if I tried, I would be back to my other sport of swimming fairly fast!
Swimming background, fairly tall (1.93m) and long legs give me my edge over most, however, could do with being 20kg heavier to really go fast...
Well, you certainly have some advantages here: former swimmers are often great rowers (like a female member of my club who used to swim, but changed to rowing when she suffered from an injury on her shoulder - two years later, in 1988, she became world champion).
You lenght is more or less perfect for rowing between 1.90 and 2.00 is ideal. Weight? Near the 90 - 100kgs with a low fat percentage is another benefit.
Menno
Great thread! I only use the C2 when other equipment is being used. I generally do 1000m @ 2:20/500
This is obviously terrible, but I had no idea beforehand whether it was good or bad.
With one eye on this thread I think I'm gonna make a concerted effort to improve.
Thanks.
You'll be amazed how fast you will improve. Most start too fast / with too much power. I try to get into a proper pace asap, about 80% of the max strength. That will give you a moral boost when you try to step up halfway through the session.
I like to listen to Stairway To Heaven: that song changes a few times: the rhythm goes up 2 or 3 times and it helps me to adjust and maintain pace.
Menno
Form first, then power and speed.
Check out the proper form on the Concept2 website/YouTube. Try and row near a mirror so that you can admire yourself as you row, and then work until you row like that. Then start to add power. Whatever you do, do not allow yourself to bum-shuffle backwards and forwards without moving your arms and legs - you'll go nowhere and look silly...
Great advise.Try and row near a mirror so that you can admire yourself as you row, and then work until you row like that.
Or, in an ideal world: have a camera pointed at you from the side ('en profil') and have it attached to a screen, so that you can see IRL what you're doing. Without a proper coach, this is the best way to learn to row. With a GoPro, you can get an app for your phone / tablet with real time view of what the GoPro is 'seeing'. And believe me, there are several books written about the perfect stroke and recovery. There's always room for improvement!
On topic and nice to look at ;-) :
Menno
Last edited by thieuster; 24th March 2014 at 17:31.
Good advice. Cheers chaps.
That thing looks like a torture device! My GF just bought one and it will be delivered next week.... she's trying to kill me! WTF!?
Just bought another one after selling mine last year and missing it so much and a stone heavier i took the plunge again.
I cannot believe how unfit you become over a year
But if u wanna lose weight get one there amazing for shifting the lard
I've been renting mine for a while now, have the option to buy it for £600, is that a good deal?
Sounds about right, depends on model/monitor. If it is a Model C/D/E/PM3/4 then it is a good price, if it is a Model C/PM2 then I would look at the former range and go for the highest letter/number combo you can get.
About 5 years ago I think I paid about £700 for a reconditioned ModelC/PM3 which was before the Model E was released.
Hope this all makes sense?
It's a model D with PM3.
I've been renting it for 12 months at £9 a week, it was brand new when I got it. My thinking is @ £600 I may as well buy it now, I've had enough time to see I enjoy using it, and by the looks of things it won't lose anything now so any more rental payment would be a waste of money even if I gave it back in 6 months.
I'm amazed at the workouts on it since I have had instruction from a PT, the 250m sprints are literally like doing a session of weights, such a versatile machine!
I'm still not great at the longer distances though, 20 years of smoking has obviously taken it's toll, but things can only get better.
Sounds about right. At that price, if you decide you don't want it, at least you won't lose much/anything.
For further advise on training programs, google 'Rowing Pete Plan' it is written by one of the guy on the C2 forum who has developed a plan based on some other more rigid plans, it is a good starting place and incorporates sprints/distance and endurance sessions. There are plenty of way to tailor it and make it fit to a 'normal week'. I use my own modification that was once based on it, however I only row 3 times a week (and swim train twice).
So I started my training on Wednesday and thought I'd stick to 5000 metre sessions (that's about all I have time for before starting work).
Results so far -
Wednesday - 24m 48s
Thursday - 24m 27s
Friday - 24m 05s
All in all not very quick but definitely going in the right direction.
Last edited by Jon Kenney; 4th April 2014 at 12:55.
Start breaking the 5k down in to 2/5/10 bits (logical divisions) and give yourself a couple of minutes rest between reps. Then you can do each rep at a faster speed, trying to hold the overall speed, and going for it on your last rep. The average of the set then becomes the 'target' for the next time you do the set. When you come back to doing the complete distance, you will find you improve faster than just rowing 5k again and again.
I am with andyjay on this one! Great advise. A rest period of 2 mins. is sufficient to 'reload' again. Make sure you've eaten something with proper carbs (slice of whole weat bread, large banana) about 15mins. before you start. Drink water during the rest periods. After you've finished the 5K, keep on rowing at light pace for about one minute to get your heartbeat down.
Rowing is a movement without pain. Sure, your muscles get 'tired' and you will feel your legs and shoulders the next day. If you feel (real) pain during the workout or afterwards then there's something wrong. Ask someone to have a look and comment your rowing technique.
Menno
Edit: don't forget to eat something afterwards: the carbs you ate before you set off, are now fully burned. It's an idea to eat another slice (or two) whole weat bread with an omelet from one or two eggs. Or better: eggwhite only. Eggs have a high concentration of protein, just what your muscles need to recover. Often, new and enthousiastic rowers go too far trying to set a record. It's good to read some background info about 'ketone smell when working out'. In short: when that happens, you're body cannot deliver enough fuel (carbs) and you will start burning fat and protein= building blocks for your muscles and that's counterproductive!
M.
Last edited by thieuster; 4th April 2014 at 15:45.
Thanks for the advice chaps, I'll give that a go on Monday. I'll try 5 x 1000m sets and see how it goes.
I must admit, the concept2 website has been a great resource of info (I've watch all the technical videos), and is a good way to log your progress and a bit of an incentive to climb up the rankings.
JK
The other website to look at is 'the peteplan' search for it on Google and read the information Pete has posted. He is a member on the Concept2 website forum and offers some really good, slightly more interesting schedules than C2 site, and looks at training from a more 'usable' veiw point - unless you have aspirations to rowing as a career (which I don't).
5x1k is a great place to start, keep a record of your time and use it as a bench mark.
Cheers Andy, I'll take a look.
Try doing 10 sets of 250m sprints in 55secs or less, 60 secs break in between, I find it a killer! It's like doing a weights workout!
My PT has given me some 1000m sprints but I struggle with them (but do beat my time goals), I think my knackered shoulder and wrist along with 20 years of smoking has some part to play in that sadly :-(
It's all good fun though, and I am really inpressed with the computer allowing you to input the PT programmes and then allowing you to "rerow" them to save putting it in again.
If you are goimg to row a bit, then you can buy a log card from C2 for about £5. This allows you to keep track of your rows on any PM3/4 you just slide the card in the bottom of the monitor. It also allows you to save 5 or 6 favourite sets. I try and save the most complicated sets and I also have a single 1000m row which i use over and over as a warmup/cool down. Worth the investment!
+1 For the card. It can save years of history which is particularly interesting to look back on if you wear a HR monitor when you row.
That's not easy! Looks a lot like Tabata training I've written about before in this thread.Try doing 10 sets of 250m sprints in 55secs or less, 60 secs break in between, I find it a killer! It's like doing a weights workout!
Absolutely! In the months before I was hospitalised for angioplasty three years ago, my performance on the C2 slowly dropped and I didn't had a clue why. In hindsight, it's obvious why this happened. So I tend to look back from time to time to see (among other signals) if things are still okay.+1 For the card. It can save years of history which is particularly interesting to look back on if you wear a HR monitor when you row.
My nextdoor neighbour is a cardiologist -not mine- and she told me that one of the things she always hears from her patient's family is that the in the months before things go wrong, the patient-to-be's workout performance goes down, he/she falls asleep on the couch during the evening - even without physical exercise during the day etc. Things often addressed as 'laziness', burnout or 'a lot of things going on at work' and snoring(...). Keep a sharp eye on yourself!
Menno
A variation that I like on this is to do 20(1min row/1min rest)@20strokes a minute, it has been affectionly named PowerErging on the C2 site and is great fun, but really not easy...
Odd. What makes it difficult as it doesn't sound bad. Is it the low stroke rate?
It's very much a training exercise to increase power and form in the stroke based on a classic set piece at a low stroke rate.
I've learnt that an absolute classic piece that all top rowers row is a 30r20, i.e. 30minutes at 20strokes a minute (SPM). There are calculators that convert between 2k times and 30r20 with surprising accuracy. During the run up to one of the Olympics Matthew Pinsent famously rowed 9009m at altitude during a 30r20 - an icredible feat - try it and see, my best is 8111m which put me on the floor. It took Pinsent 4 or 5 of days rest to recover.
The minute on, minute off @20 was originated by a guy on the C2 forum, who was looking for the max power aspect with out being wiped out totally by a 30r20...
Have a go at both, they are both a mental challenge as well as a physical one...
Great response Andy. Thanks for taking the time to write it.
Strange as it may sound but it's this kind of thing that inspires me to work harder.
Could anyone recommend something to put on the seat to make it more comfortable? I'm struggling with a sore arse at the moment!
Cheers ;-)
You're not working hard enough if it's your ass that is sore lol.
Seriously though, they are pretty uncomfortable but if you put some padding down like a folded up T-shirt, you lose the contour of the seat and suffer from slippage.
I've got a boney ass!
You can get a concept 2 foam pad for the seat. I saw one on the bay for £5.
Presumably nicely sweated into shape as well. On second thoughts, maybe a new one!
I've also read that people use a pad of bubble wrap, two or three layers or a towel.
Concept do their own pad. It's only 12 quid.
http://shop-uk.concept2.com/index.ph...roller=product
I Was on one today as part of my recovery after shingles. I did a leisurely 500m in 2.12.
The question I'd like to ask is is my stroke rate too fast at around 25? And secondly a graph on the PM3 monitor showed pretty much a bell curve - is this normal/ best for rowing?
These symptoms can be caused by lots of things, cns fatigue, not eating enough, lack of sleep, a virus, depression. It is not like you should go to the doc every time you feel tired.
At the same time i know a guy who died a few weeks ago at the age of 50. He started off feeling unwell at work one day and fell asleep , one of the guys told him to go home since he was not feeling well so he did.
A few days later he was still not feeling right and his wife had to go away with her work so left him with the "flu". She told him to go to the docs but he hated doctors and didn't want to bother. Eventually he went to the docs and the doc strapped him up to the ECG machine? and said that he had been having a mild heart attack for several days which is what caused his symptons, he was rushed to hospital and family were phoned to say he would be ok. He then had a another one and died before his family ever made it to the hospital to see him.
Last edited by studly; 9th April 2014 at 04:11.
Just ordered a pad off ebay for a fiver delivered (yes its new), got to be worth a try for that!
The concept one is nigh on £18 with postage!
Stroke rate is very much dependant on lots of things, height, leg length etc, and also what/how you are rowing. If you are sprinting, which I suggest you aren't, then your stroke rate would be higher, sometimes 40+, or if you are working on power during the stroke, you may be doing 18 or 20 strokes a minute. 26 SPM seems about right for what you are doing, but really depends on the long term goals as to whether it should be faster or slower.
As for the 'power curve' of the stroke, there is lots written on C2 website which explains how it works and the ideal shape. A smooth symetrical shape is ideal as it denotes a even spread in power through out the stroke rather than uneven strength or weakness in one or two phase of the stroke.
Last Sunday, I watched the Boat Race. Both crews started with a stroke rate >40 but settled for 34 / 35 SPM after a few hundred yards. Even after the 'accident', Cambridge managed to pick up again with a 34 SPM rate. Remember, these men are highly trained and very, very fit. 'Don't try that at home' is the expression. A lower SPM for us, the ordinary fomumite here, is better and also very effective.
Menno
I average 30spm doing my exercise, 20spm seems quite slow, but then I know nothing and just go by what my PT says!
I suppose 20sm over a long distance is fine?
I cannot imagine being able to sustain anywhere near 35-40spm. I tend to average around 23-25spm, which is comfortable for me.
However with pretty long legs, I guess I have further to travel.
Thanks for that. Yes I was a long way from sprinting, more a gentle jog.
I've always been a casual rower, with rowing being an additional exercise, but I can see the benefits of both high power / low stroke training and a faster paced session as well.
Unfortunately the session didn't react well with the shingles so it'll be another week at least before I can put theory into practice.
Just picked up a C2 at the weekend, thanks to Sales Corner. Having not done any exercise for a while I am starting off gently, Day 1 was 2km in 8:51 and Day 2 in 8:43. Being vertically challenged (1.73m) and a mere 70kg I am never going to get down to anything particularly fast, but my first goal is to get under 8mins for 2km over the next few weeks, I think that should be achievable, and then try to maintain that pace over a longer distance.
I wouldn't get to caught up with a 2k time at the moment, it would be better to build an aerobic base and work on longer less intense workout, probably up to 5k a session (again, Google 'the pete plan' - there is a beginners timetable there), after a few weeks your 2k time will tumble (as with all your times), but it is a side line of better fitness, rather than just a one-off blast...
Remember to weight adjust your results or you won't be comparing like for like. In a boat, you would create less drag and therefore don't need to have as high an output as a heavier rower. You might even find that you are already a lot closer to your goal than you think. There's is stuff on this on Concepts website.
And like Andyjay says, focus on endurance and longer distances. Good luck.
Had a quick glance at the rankings. I'd be at 35 for my age in the UK with no training. I can only imagine the C2 users are reticent in sharing their prowess!
That's for 500m - the benefits of training will presumably kick in at longer distances.
Last edited by Neil T; 10th April 2014 at 20:51.
I've been inspired by this thread, I'm 33, 68kg and go to the gym once a week, but haven't used a rowing machine for maybe 7 years.
Anyway last weekend I set myself a benchmark 2000m time of 9:50
Today I got that down to 9:35
I should add both of those times were set within a couple of minutes of doing a 5km run.
I've also found a folded up towel helps make the seat a lot more comfortable!
17/05/14 - best time now 9:14
Last edited by Chris H; 17th May 2014 at 17:50.
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